Sbarro exiting bankruptcy, leaving Melville

Pizza chain Sbarro says it has exited bankruptcy protection and is moving its headquarters from Melville to Ohio.

According to court filings, a judge approved the company’s reorganization plan on May 19, and that plan took effect Monday. Sbarro says it will move its company headquarters to Columbus, Ohio, to reduce expenses and be closer to its new Pizza Cucinova business, which lets people build their own pizzas. The first Cucinova restaurant opened in October.

The company says 43 jobs at its old headquarters in Melville will be eliminated, but its other 2,700 employees nationwide won’t be affected.

Sbarro has struggled to turn its business around amid a drop in traffic at shopping mall food courts, and Pizza Cucinova represents a step away from its portfolio of mall-based stores. The company is also trying to update its image for serving re-heated pizza at a time when people are increasingly reaching for foods they feel are fresh and wholesome.